Chasing After Spring's Footsteps
by HUNTING FOR YOUR DREAM
Summary: Masaki has always loved the season, spring. Because cherry blossoms bloom, and when it comes to the color cherry... he would always remember... that person.


Kariya Masaki was glancing around as he walked at a steady pace. _Spring,_ the season that has the most flowers blooming among all four seasons. Compared to the him last spring, just what has changed? He asked himself.

"The people to care about, has increased." Masaki bent down, mumbling to himself as he stroked the petals of a small wild white flower by the road. He liked white flowers, because it was very compatible with that person's hair color.

The him last year probably wouldn't even had guessed that he would be playing soccer this seriously now, huh? The him that had never thought that anything mattered.

It was that person, Kirino Ranmaru, who had opened a new door for him, who had shut himself inside until then. The one he liked most, admired most, was Kirino. And he was also the guy he _felt so deeply in love with._ There will only be one in this entire world.

* * *

"Masaki." He remembered that that person had always called him this way, he didn't hate that. Because the people at the orphanage also called him by his given name, he was happy... very happy.

"Kirino-senpai." He had a habit of replying while raising his head and smiling slightly. To say that this was the most happiest moment in his entire life, that would be underestimating this feeling. That first spring when the two of them first met, the scene with cheery blossom's petals flying everywhere, he never forgot that. That moment when those beautiful flying petals, joined together with his long hair as it flowed in the wind. Soon after that was summer, autumn, then winter, and finally, his favorite season, spring, has come. "Kirino-senpai." Masaki called towards Kirino as he fell asleep on the table in the club room due to too much work. _After all, the third-years have it tough when it comes to studies, and then there's soccer practice to think of, of course he'd be tired out,_ Masaki thought to himself.

Without noticing, as time flowed on, he started to yawn. In the end, he finally couldn't stay awake and rounded over to where Kirino was sleeping, lying down next to him and falling asleep right then and there.

A gentle breeze blew in from the open window... he wondered what kind of dream was Kirino having at that moment.

* * *

"Masaki's hair seems to have grown longer." Masaki remembered this, it was during their conversation in the middle of the hot summer.

"I guess." As Kirino grabbed a few strands and started tying them up, Masaki replied with an absent-minded tone. He actually didn't bother to keep track of his hair length, but the tips of his hair were sticking to his back due to sweat, making him feel pretty uncomfortable. He tugged on the edge of Kirino's shirt, wanting to borrow one of his hair ties to tie up the bothersome ends. "I should cut it soon." Masaki said after pausing a few seconds. He thought that maybe big sister Yagami Reina would help him, since she was the one who had taken care of his hair ever since he was little.

"If it's only to fix it shorter a little, I can probably do it for you." Kirino said, smiling as he lift up a few strands of Masaki's hair with one swift movement, making a scissors formation with his right hand jokingly, making the edges of Masaki's mouth curl up slightly.

"Then, this Sunday, do you have time, Kirino-senpai?" Masaki asked over his shoulder after shaking his had in satisfaction and thinking his week's plans over. Even though he thought that when he gets his hair cut didn't matter, but to seize this chance to invite Kirino over wasn't bad idea either.

"Then this Sunday it is." Kirino answered, nodding his head slightly.

In the end, Kirino brought some simple tools to his house to help him cut his hair. Even though it was slightly different from the way Reina did it, he didn't care. And then the next time, and the next next time, he always asked Kirino to cut his hair for him when it was getting too long.

"Are you going to cut your hair some day, Kirino-senpai?" Satisfied with his new look in the mirror, Masaki asked curiously.

"Um... I don't know... heh." Kirino replied thoughtfully as he gathered up his tools. He actually had never thought of this question before, even though it was bothersome sometimes with long hair, and it gave him headaches when people mistake him to be a girl due to this fact. And it was also quite annoying to have to tie his hair up during summer, but surprisingly, to him, it didn't feel that bothersome.

"No matter if it's like now or if it's short hair, it would definitely look good on Senpai." Masaki said, smiling as he tried to imagine Kirino with short hair. As long as it's still that cherry colored hair, he would still recognize him no matter what.

* * *

_"Masaki, Masaki-"_ Masaki felt someone shaking his shoulder, the familiar voice echoed inside his ear.

"Who...?" Masaki rubbed his eyes and yawned as he asked. His vision cleared, and the outline of Kirino began to appear.

"Hurry up and wake up, you'll catch a cold." Kirino repeated, raising his voice volume. The teacher let them go to recess early, and he originally planned to take a nap at the club room, but accidentally fell asleep immediately the moment he lied down, it was a tiring day for him, when he woke up, he didn't expect to see Masaki sleeping beside him.

"Fu... un..." Masaki replied, still half-asleep. Grabbing his backpack which was sitting beside him, Kirino left the club room along with Masaki. _Fuu, _a breeze formed, the two of them raised their hands at the same time to block their eyes from getting scarred by the falling leaves. "Spring... is coming soon." Masaki muttered as he brushed his messed up bangs. When spring comes, then it would be time for him to move up to his third year in middle school, and it was also the time when Kirino would be leaving Raimon.

"And then, we'll welcome the next spring together." Kirino grinned as he tilted his head, holding the hand of the boy beside him. The next one, another _spring_ that we'll spend together. And he'll continue chasing after that cherry colored figure, chasing after spring's footsteps together, just the two of them. "Then, see you again after a year." Kirino smiled as he said this, holding his graduation diploma. Even though it wasn't that he won't be able to see Masaki for an entire year, but they had to wait till a year later before they could go to the same high school together, it would be lonely.

* * *

_"Masaki-..."_

_Hey, Kirino-senpai. I wonder if the cheery blossoms have bloomed over there, too._

__**Fin.**

* * *

**Matsurei: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! X3 Yup, I just had to say it again~ this was actually inspired by my grandma... == For double K... I always liked to write them with a light touch. Although I still think Kirino's the seme XD**


End file.
